The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial Blue Flax Lily variety of Dianella caerulea, which has been given the varietal denomination of ‘John 316’. The market class for ‘John 316’ is that of an ornamental grass-like plant. ‘John 316’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative grass-like plant.
An application for Plant Breeders' Rights for variety ‘John 316’ has been filed with the Australian Plant Breeders' Rights Office, and was first gazetted in the Australian Plant Breeders' Rights database in March 2006 under Application No. 2006/035.
Parentage: The Dianella caerulea variety ‘John 316’ was first discovered in 2002 in an Australian nursery in Castlereagh, New South Wales as a seedling selection derived from open pollinated seedlings of Dianella caerulea ‘Sydney Ecotype’ which was selected due to differences in growth habit and colour compared to the parent plant. The parent plant, ‘Sydney Ecotype’ (unpatented), is characterized by its tall plant height, a medium plant density, medium length aerial stems, a yellow-green leaf colour and flowers positioned typically within the foliage.
In 1999, Dianella caerulea collected from the Sydney area (‘Sydney Ecotype’), were grown together in an open bed covering approximately 250 square meters of area. The plants were allowed to develop seed by open pollination.
Approximately 10000 seed were collected in September 1999 and grown on during 2000 During 2001–2002 two plant were identified as having a glaucous leaf surface texture creating an overall bluish green leaf color. They were selected and grown further for evaluation. Finally in 2004 a single plant from these was selected as having desirable traits using the selection criteria of bluish leaf color (strong leaf glaucosity), tall plant height, a red basal sheath zone and blue flowers. This plant was subsequently initiated into micropropagation for further vegetative multiplication.
Asexual reproduction. ‘John 316’ was first asexually propagated by vegetative division in 2003 in the state of New South Wales, Australia. ‘John 316’ was asexually reproduced again during 2004 and 2005 and confirmed to be stable in character. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive variety, ‘John 316’, have remained stable and true to type from generation to generation through successive cycles of asexual reproduction including vegetative division and micropropagation.